Hi everyone, does anyone know the rational or have any reference explaining the fact that we do not clease area to be cultured with purulent drainge? I have found a few textbook saying that, but no one explaining it. Thank you,
Ref:INS (2011). Policies and Procedures for Infusion Nursing (4th ed.) P. 134 – Culture: Drainage at Cather site-Skin Junction.; 2010. INS Infusion Nursing: An Evidence-Based Approach (3rd ed.); Phillips, L.D. (2010). Manual of I.V. Therapeutics: Evidence-Based Practice for Infusion Therapy (5th ed.).; (1990). Culturing for Suspected Intravenous-Related Infection. Journal of Intravenous Nursing, 13, S48.
If you were to clean the drainage away, there may be nothing left to obtain for a culture. You might only be culturing the skin surface which is not what you want. If you can clean it, then express more drainage, then you would have something to culture but can you always be assured that you would be able to express additional drainage. Hopefully this is not a frequent problem. If it is, I would do some serious investigation into skin antisepsis both at insertion and during dressing changes. Lynn
Lynn Hadaway, M.Ed., RN, BC, CRNI
Lynn Hadaway Associates, Inc.
126 Main Street, PO Box 10
Milner, GA 30257
Website http://www.hadawayassociates.com
Office Phone 770-358-7861
Great thank you!
Karen Desjardins
Clinical Nurse Specialist
Extra Mural Program (Home Healthcare)
Vitalité Health Network
New Brunswick, Canada